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Old Jun 14, 2022 | 02:08 PM
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Default Fuel cooler?

I have been watching Engine Masters, and I just saw the episode that shows that cooler fuel is better. With that in mind, would a fan powered cooler be beneficial if I am running two pumps?

I am thinking ​​​​​900 GPH flow capacity

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Old Jun 14, 2022 | 07:33 PM
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Depends on the temp of your fuel reaching the rails without a cooler.

What is that? if it's already only a ° or 2 above ambient, not much to gain.

Don't think it has much to do with what pump(s) it is.
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Old Jun 14, 2022 | 10:52 PM
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I think a couple other things have to be considered.
I have one because I run a return style set up and a relatively small (3.5 gal ) fuel cell.
The fuel coming back is fairly warm, and in such a small volume tank, I felt it may be an issue.
If I still had a 15 gal tank, not so much.
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Old Jun 14, 2022 | 10:58 PM
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Originally Posted by RB04Av
Depends on the temp of your fuel reaching the rails without a cooler.

What is that? if it's already only a ° or 2 above ambient, not much to gain.

Don't think it has much to do with what pump(s) it is.
Someone on here did a test that showed that a second pump raised the fuel temp 10 degrees after an hour. It was a return style system, and just the pumps were on, not the engine.

Here is the thread:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/fueling-injection/1941503-fuel-heating-caused-1-vs-2-pumps-test-results-inside.html
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Old Jun 15, 2022 | 09:01 AM
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Why of course, pumps produce heat, and if you keep circulating the fuel through one/them, of course it'll eventually warm up. And also of course, adding a "cool can" will make the fuel denser. But with EFI, the ECM will just add a bit more fuel if it's less dense, and the O2 sensors tell it that it isn't reaching the target A/F ratio, so it's that much less critical anyway. Carbs of course couldn't be tuned that way, back in the day.

And don't forget also, higher temp fuel atomizes better, therefore burns better. There's more to it than just its density.

That's kinda not what you asked though. You asked if any improvement could be made to (I assume) YOUR car by cooling the fuel with a fuel-air cooler rig of some sort. Best way to know that is, see what the fuel temp is now, and compare to whatever lower temp you could possibly bring it to, with a free-air cooler like you propose. If it's only a ° or 2 above ambient to begin with, then there's not a whole lot of there there to go after.
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Old Jun 15, 2022 | 09:39 AM
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Originally Posted by RB04Av
Why of course, pumps produce heat, and if you keep circulating the fuel through one/them, of course it'll eventually warm up. And also of course, adding a "cool can" will make the fuel denser. But with EFI, the ECM will just add a bit more fuel if it's less dense, and the O2 sensors tell it that it isn't reaching the target A/F ratio, so it's that much less critical anyway. Carbs of course couldn't be tuned that way, back in the day.

And don't forget also, higher temp fuel atomizes better, therefore burns better. There's more to it than just its density.

That's kinda not what you asked though. You asked if any improvement could be made to (I assume) YOUR car by cooling the fuel with a fuel-air cooler rig of some sort. Best way to know that is, see what the fuel temp is now, and compare to whatever lower temp you could possibly bring it to, with a free-air cooler like you propose. If it's only a ° or 2 above ambient to begin with, then there's not a whole lot of there there to go after.
Great info! I had not considered EFI vs carburetor.
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Old Jun 15, 2022 | 05:39 PM
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900GPH? You must mean pounds per hour. 900GPH is a gallon every four seconds. This is literally as fast as water comes out of a particularly well running garden hose. This will support 3000hp on methanol.
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Old Jun 15, 2022 | 07:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Kawboom
900GPH? You must mean pounds per hour. 900GPH is a gallon every four seconds. This is literally as fast as water comes out of a particularly well running garden hose. This will support 3000hp on methanol.
Correction.... 900 LPH. Dual Walbro 450s

So, 238 GPH

Last edited by FCar2000TA; Jun 15, 2022 at 07:13 PM.
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Old Jun 16, 2022 | 07:07 AM
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I was told years ago…never seen one myself…that BMW runs their fuel lines through an apparatus that, when the A/C is on, super cools the fuel lines. Is it true? No idea. Great idea though.
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Old Jun 16, 2022 | 09:45 AM
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Don't know about fuel lines on the BMW but mine have had Water cooled power steering and a cooler loop for the alternator..

I suspect it would be the V8/V10 cars due to under hood heat on those or specific M models.

Cheers
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Old Jun 16, 2022 | 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Che70velle
I was told years ago…never seen one myself…that BMW runs their fuel lines through an apparatus that, when the A/C is on, super cools the fuel lines. Is it true? No idea. Great idea though.
I have confidence that BMW doesn't have such a system.

Why? Well, two things. I have never seen such a system on a BMW, though my experience is slightly limited, and more significantly I have never heard anyone complaining that this mythical system broke or started leaking immediately after their warranty expired.
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Old Jun 16, 2022 | 11:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Kawboom
........ and more significantly I have never heard anyone complaining that this mythical system broke or started leaking immediately after their warranty expired.
That's the soundest reasoning I've heard in a LONG time..... lol
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Old Jun 16, 2022 | 08:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Kawboom
I have confidence that BMW doesn't have such a system.

Why? Well, two things. I have never seen such a system on a BMW, though my experience is slightly limited, and more significantly I have never heard anyone complaining that this mythical system broke or started leaking immediately after their warranty expired.
No, your spot on there, for sure.
So I heard about this way back. I had a friend who had an ‘87 or ‘88 M5 and he told me that the car had this “fuel cooler” that worked by cooling the fuel lines utilizing a “manifold” or something like that. Apparently the fuel lines run through this, and when the A/C is on, the fuel is cooled. For the first time, I just now looked into this, and it’s a real thing. Apparently BMW and Mercedes tried this for a couple years. Over on the Bimmer forums, there’s lots of talk about this, but I didn’t spend enough time reading to see if it actually helped or not. My friend always talked about how “fast” his car was, but I never drove it or even rode with him. His driving left a “little bit to be desired” for me.
I must say, the idea is genius, however.
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Old Jun 16, 2022 | 08:36 PM
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Maybe the better solution is to just wire up one of the Walbro 450 pumps until I add FI, then do a Hobbs switch
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Old Jun 17, 2022 | 01:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Che70velle
No, your spot on there, for sure.
So I heard about this way back. I had a friend who had an ‘87 or ‘88 M5 and he told me that the car had this “fuel cooler” that worked by cooling the fuel lines utilizing a “manifold” or something like that. Apparently the fuel lines run through this, and when the A/C is on, the fuel is cooled. For the first time, I just now looked into this, and it’s a real thing. Apparently BMW and Mercedes tried this for a couple years. Over on the Bimmer forums, there’s lots of talk about this, but I didn’t spend enough time reading to see if it actually helped or not. My friend always talked about how “fast” his car was, but I never drove it or even rode with him. His driving left a “little bit to be desired” for me.
I must say, the idea is genius, however.
I did find a thing that Mercedes did many years ago, like in the early 80s, but it was not to increase performance it was to prevent vapor lock. They may have had a very low pressure EFI system at the time, or maybe it was closed loop, making it easy to vapor lock.
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Old Jun 18, 2022 | 02:27 AM
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Originally Posted by FCar2000TA
Maybe the better solution is to just wire up one of the Walbro 450 pumps until I add FI, then do a Hobbs switch
Find a good PWM power supply for your fuel system. Not generating excess heat is better than cooling it off. Remember Colin Chapman. Simplify, and add lightness.
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Old Jun 18, 2022 | 09:52 AM
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Originally Posted by FCar2000TA
Maybe the better solution is to just wire up one of the Walbro 450 pumps until I add FI, then do a Hobbs switch
Call Carl Casanova at Vaporworx. He'll fix you up with a good PWM fuel system.
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Old Jun 18, 2022 | 10:42 AM
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Does a PWM work with the ECM?
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Old Jun 18, 2022 | 01:31 PM
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Originally Posted by FCar2000TA
Does a PWM work with the ECM?
Not sure. Carl can give you all the details.
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Old Jun 19, 2022 | 12:19 AM
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Originally Posted by FCar2000TA
Does a PWM work with the ECM?
Not directly. You would have to power the PWM power supply, then use some sort of sensor to let it determine how hard to drive your fuel pump. This could be based on fuel pressure, boost pressure, rpm, afr, or phase of the moon. You decide.
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